


Adventure of a Lifetime

by elenavio22



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Drama, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-04 20:20:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5347322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenavio22/pseuds/elenavio22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rosalind Blake was the best assassin in the English Brotherhood. But her arrogance and pride led to a huge defeat in the city of London. As her punishment she is sent to the Caribbean to assist pirate and new member to the Brotherhood of Assassins, Edward Kenway. Her mentor hopes that maybe the two can learn from one another, but it will take a lot of work for these two opposites to find common ground.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> First fanfiction! Hope you enjoy!!

She couldn't believe this was happening. Some fool of a man, a  _pirate_ , was in need of a babysitter. So in light of her recent failure back home in England, she was assigned to such a disgraceful job. She could feel the anger boiling up inside her. This was below her.

"This is exactly why we have assigned you such a mission, Rosalind," her mentor spoke, pulling her from her angry thoughts.

"I do not understand, not only are my skills way beyond this 'mission', but I feel it is an insult to my pride."

He let out a large sigh as he stroked his snow white beard.

"I-," she began to protest.

"Your pride and foolish arrogance is what led to our defeat in London!!” he snapped. “You are a brilliant assassin, my dear, but being one is much more than drawing your blade on anyone who defies you! You lack trust, compassion, love!!"

She knew his lecture had only just begun, but she had no intention of letting it continue without a curt reply here and there. It just wasn't in her nature.

"Such trivial things to we who call ourselves assassins! There is no "compassion" when your whole life is centered around taking the lives of others!" she hissed.

"My dear child, you have traveled so far, but have understood little. Compassion is what should stay your blade from the innocent. Is that not our creed?"

She huffed angrily at this for she knew the creed better than anyone else. It had been drilled into her head since the day she could understand it. But she had taken so many lives now that compassion was far from her mind. There was no room for love or trust in this world. She knew that for certain.

She angrily turned to rush out of the door, making sure to slam it on her way out. The boiling hot Caribbean air hit her as she left, immediately making her sweat. She groaned. This definitely wasn't going to be on her list of good days.

She pushed her way through the drunkards and madmen (not really entirely sure which one was which anymore) until she made her way to the docks. The air smelled putrid with the scent of unbathed men; old sea dogs who still hadn't learned about proper hygiene or just decided against it. She looked out at the sea admiring its scenic beauty. She watched as the sea gulls flew gracefully in the air, occasionally dipping their talons into the clear blue water to catch a fish or two. The sailors worked hard as the brilliant sun shone down on them, bringing sweat to their brows. The air was filled with the working songs and shouts of men as the sea made its sounds in reply. While it was a beautiful sight and an interesting opportunity, she admitted to herself that she had not acquired her "sea legs", but she wouldn't admit it aloud. And she certainly wouldn't admit it to this pirate.

The pirate was none other than the infamous Edward Kenway, a fairly recent addition to the Order. He was a privateer in the beginning, but as the need for such men declined he turned to a life piracy under the pirate Edward Thatch, eventually acquiring his own ship, the Jackdaw.  She knew very little about the man and didn't really care to acquaint herself with him. Unfortunately, she didn't really have a choice now.

***

Of course he laughed when he was told. An escort? Why the bloody hell did he need some bloke to watch over him? He knew he wasn't exactly a morally responsible man being a pirate and all, but it wasn’t as though he would just go around killing as he pleased. He followed their orders. He followed their creed. Well, now  _his_  creed.

"You're not serious, Edward?" Adé questioned as they sailed full speed to the agreed meeting location.

"Aye," he replied simply as he took a swig from the bottle in his hand. "Got myself an escort because I can't behave myself. Can you believe it? A pirate who can't behave himself!"

Edward chuckled to himself as Adé still kept a disapproving look. They pulled the Jackdaw into port and settled her in. As Edward made his descent to meet this escort he heard quite a disturbance below. Ignoring the steps below him he simply dropped down to the fragile wooden dock below causing a nearby fisherman to startle and loose his hat to the sea.

He hurriedly made his way to the scene of the commotion in question. And it was a quite a scene indeed. A dirty looking old sea dog had his face dug into the ground by his assailant. His nails dug into the dirt as a foot pressed down harder on his nearly bald head. What made the scene a treasure was the fact that the foot belonged to such a small figure that could've easily passed as a child. Only when the assaulted man was freed did Edward realize that the small frame belonged to not a child, but a woman whose face was hidden by a black hood.

"You dare touch me again bastard and I will not hesitate to release you from your miserable life," she spat.

"You bitch!" the man screamed as he lunged for her; a knife in his hand.

She turned to counter her assailant, but Edward had already leapt in, arm around the defeated man's neck.

"Oh don't mind him, love. Just had a bit too much to drink, haven't we mate?" Edward said, slapping the man in the back.

"I can handle myself," she replied. "I have no need for a rescue."

"I don't doubt it, love, but I'm afraid I was only rescuing this poor bloke here." he said pointing at the man he now held captive.

Though he could not see her face, he knew he had made her angry. And this was enough to make him laugh which only added to her fury.

"I'm glad you can find humor in a man assaulting an innocent woman," she hissed.

"Innocent? You're the one who pushed poor William to the ground, love."

"Name's not William," the man sputtered.

"Oh do shut it, Willie," Edward said without pulling his attention from the woman. "So lass, do you plan on hurting dear William here? If so, I'm afraid I'll have to interfere."

He grinned at her as he released "William". The man took no time in making his escape, ready to be rid of such madness.

"Kenway!" a loud voice called from behind.

"I'll be a minute!" Edward yelled keeping his full attention on the marvel before him.

Sparking some sort of interest, the woman looked up at him analyzing him carefully.

"Kenway? Edward Kenway?" she asked.

"Aye. Have we met before, love?"

She seemed repulsed at the thought, but continued.

"No, but it seems we were meant to meet."

He smirked and moved towards her. "Oh?"

She scoffed and pulled down her hood.

"I am Rosalind Blake, assigned to Edward Kenway as he works to become a part of the Order."

He had to admit she was damn beautiful, but a sort of cold beauty. Her expression was cruel and harsh much to his disappointment.  _No such luck, Kenway._  She was unique in that her left eye was a brilliant emerald green and her right a chocolate brown, but there was such coldness in them that it was hard to find beauty in them. Her honey brown hair was tightly secured with only a few stray pieces falling around her face. He could tell that she would be as tightly bound as her hair.

"How unfortunate. I thought it was going to be such wonderful day," he sighed.

"As did I," she grumbled, pushing past him to make her way his ship.

***


	2. Endless Bickering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosalind meets Edward Kenway and they immediately start bumping heads. Edward's playful manner clearly irritates Rosalind and that's exactly why he continues. Its going to be a long trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going back a bit to get Rosalind's POV of the assault of poor "William". :)

Rosalind waited for what seemed like hours for this "Jackdaw" and its captain. She was starting to believe that he wouldn't show. Which would benefit her in the end. She smiled at the thought. For once a pirate not keeping his word can do some good. She could leave this place and return to the real missions. There was real work to be done. The thought of returning to England excited her. She let her mind wonder, thinking of all the wonderful places her travels might lead her. She was beginning to feel a child-like wonder as she imagined climbing mountains that had never been climbed, seeing places that hadn't been discovered, and even finding items of civilizations that had perished long ago. It was her only true joy that she could receive from this world. Exploring the world till the day she died. Alone. With no one to distract her.  Adventure around every corner was all she ever wanted and being an assassin truly gave her that. Of course such pleasant thoughts could never last long.

"Oi, love. Fancy a go?" someone grunted behind her.

She turned to face stout man, drink in hand, struggling to stay standing. His clothes were disheveled and his face pink from drunkenness. 

"Don't be shy, love," he sputtered as grabbed her arm.

She immediately reacted, twisting his arm and slamming him into the ground with a lot more force than really needed. She just wanted to make a point. She quickly shoved her boot onto his fat balding head making sure he got a real taste of the dirt. The crowd around her quickly turned to watch the confrontation, which she didn't mind since she didn't want the other men getting any ideas. She pushed his face deeper hard into the ground then released him so he could hear her warning clearly. He quickly jumped to face her, staggering a bit until he regained his footing.

"You dare touch me again bastard and I will not hesitate to release you from your miserable life!" she spat.

She turned from him as if to walk away, but she knew this low life would not tolerate such an embarrassment. She heard him scream and waited for his attack. But it did not come. When she turned she found a tall blonde man with his arm around the drunkard's neck. His ocean blue eyes were sparkling and a large grin spread across his face.

"Oh don't worry about him, love. Just had a bit much to drink, haven’t we mate?”

***

Once on the Jackdaw, Rosalind made her way to the lower deck to examine what sort of conditions she would have to endure when suddenly felt a presence behind her. She quickly turned to face him, her hidden blade drawn. Kenway.

He merely smirked at her and held his hands up mockingly.

"We are a testy one aren't we?" he teased.

She withdrew her blade and only replied with an irritated grunt.

"You'll not be sleeping here, love. Wouldn't be proper." he said with a smile.

"They will not touch me," she said referring to the crew. It wasn't a question.

"Aye, but not because you threaten them. Because they don't really like tightly bound ones like you."

He leaned forward trapping her against the wall. Her face stayed unchanged as he moved to whisper in her ear, "But I do."

She pushed him away easily and said with much venom as she could conjour, "That may be true, but as it happens, I do not like you, _pirate_." 

He chuckled and instructed her to follow her as he moved back above deck.

"Then what sort of men do you like then, lass?" he inquired. "Men of honor? Some bloke with his firm morals and self-righteous standings?"

"I have no time for men," she stated simply.

He turned to face her with one brow raised.

"Women then?"

She scoffed.

"I do not have any desire to tie myself to any person of any gender. There are more important things."

Edward only laughed and continued to lead her to his quarters. Once they reached the door he opened it for her mockingly bowing as she entered.

She stepped further into the room examining the maps and trinkets carelessly thrown about. Not far from the state of her own room.

She felt his presence beside her again and rolled her eyes. He isn't one for personal space or decency, is he? Though she did not move away as she was fully aware that he would not touch her. Why did she know this? Something about his eyes, but she didn't really care to think any more of it.

"Don't worry, lass, I'll be staying with the crew so you don't have to worry about your virtue being in danger."

His incessant teasing was becoming quite irritating.

"So, oh great mentor, where will we being heading?" he continued.

She wished she could wipe that smirk of his face, and normally she would, but she knew that would bring her no closer to the freedom she so desperately wanted.

"Havana. An easy enough mission for you," she said with a small hidden smile.

When had she started speaking like this? Teasing was something she had always found tedious and unnecessary, but here she was bantering with this man. As usual she decided to brush the thought away and move on.

"Havana, it is," he said with a grin.    

                                                                                                                                            ***

                                                                        


	3. The Hunter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosalind is eager to get to Havana to begin her mission. Edward on the other hand has a different idea. While they argue a shadow is spotted below the water...

It wasn't long before they set sail for Havana. Rosalind already felt sea sick and had to contain a groan every time the bloody ship rocked. The crew watched her carefully as they worked, occasionally struggling to hold in a laugh as she stumbled across the deck. This damn ship was going to be the death of her. She shot the smiling men a stern look before continuing her way to the wheel. Gripping the rail so tight that her knuckles turned white, she made her way up the stairs towards the captain. She could hear the crew singing below as they worked the rigging and kept the sails steady. Edward stood at the wheel grinning as he looked out on water, the quartermaster shouting commands as they left the shallow waters. She approached him slowly, holding her stomach as if to hold in her sick.

"Doing alright there, love?" Edward chuckled. 

She ignored him and moved to speak to the man the crew called Adé, a large dark man who towered over her small frame. His shaved head was encircled by a dark bandanna, soaked in his sweat. His large arms and fearsome chest were exposed, glistening from a hard days work. 

"How long will it take to reach Havana?" she asked, craning her neck to look at the massive man.

He blinked curiously, confused with the woman before him.

She turned to Edward.

"Where is he from? I may know a few phrases from his native tongue if he cannot speak English."

Adé eventually came to his senses to address the young assassin.

"I can speak English just fine, it is just that it is hard to find one of your race, let alone a woman who does not approach me with fear or hate in their hearts."

Rosalind narrowed her eyes and eyed the dark man carefully.

"I fear no man," she began. "And as for hate, I know nothing of you so I cannot hate you, but your position a pirate does incline me to dislike you."

Edward chuckled behind her. She hissed in response.

"Your race is not a factor in my opinion of you," she finished.

Adé let out a sudden booming laugh that made Rosalind jump.

"And you said she was a cruel woman!" Adé exclaimed.

With Adé's words she spun to face Edward, making sure her face was a menacing as possible. As expected he only laughed. She turned back to Adé and raised her brow.

"So? How long?"

It was Edward who answered.

"A bit longer than expected, love," he said. "Got a bit of business along the way."

She grimaced.

"No, absolutely not," she began. "There will be no pirating while I am aboard."

She stood firm as if to intimidate the tall blonde man. It was hard, she knew, considering her short height. But he must have known what she was capable off.

Adé slowly walked away sensing a fight. They both ignored his escape. 

"And how exactly do you propose I keep these lads happy?"

"You are their captain," she hissed. "They should be happy to have a job!"

He shook his head.

"Jaysus, you really don't understand a thing do ya, lass?"

This infuriated her. She was tired of people telling her she didn't understand things. She was not naive. She had seen a lot more of the world than others would see in their lifetime. She had more experience than a large percent of the Brotherhood by the time she was fifteen. She was about to argue back when one of the crew called for the captain.

"We've got a large one, captain!"

Edward immediately called for Adé to take over as he hurried to remove his overcoat and shirt. The men below prepared a boat and loaded it with harpoons.

"What the devil is going on?" Rosalind shouted.

Edward smiled at her and continued undressing until he was down to naught but his trousers. She was taken aback with the seemingly endless amount of tattoos that danced across his sun kissed skin. Catching herself staring she snapped back into action, following Edward down to the small boat that had been waiting for him. He carefully stepped in, along with two other men. The men still aboard the Jackdaw began to lower them down into the water.

“OI!!” she shouted, losing her patience.

How did this man manage to get her so infuriated? He was impossible!

“You get back here, Edward Kenway!! We don’t have time for whatever nonsense this is!”

He grinned up at her, continuing his descent into the water. She glared at him, attempting to keep herself from throwing herself onto the boat and hitting him to she drew blood.

“I do like the sound of you saying my name like that, love,” he yelled. “Be careful or I may forget about letting you have that nice warm bed all to yourself.”

He winked as he rowed away, out to the open sea. Her face was boiling hot now and she could not blame the damned heat anymore.

“You-! YOU BLOODY PIRATE!” she screeched.

She knew he had heard her for he let out such a large laugh that he almost fell from the boat.

_This bastard wants to die!_ Why had this happened to her? She wished she could’ve controlled her temper enough to plead with her mentor to cease this silly punishment. At this point, she would’ve rather taken a hundred lashes than to deal with this simply abysmal man.

She gripped the railing as she watched them make their way out further and further. She squinted her eyes to try and locate the beast they hunted, but to no avail. She grew irritated and cursed under her breath.

“You alright, miss?” a man near her asked.

“He makes us stop for this and I can’t even see the damned thing,” she admitted.

The man smiled at her gently and slowly held out his finger to point out the prey. She followed his hand carefully with her eyes until she spotted a large shadow underneath the blue waves. Her eyes widened as she saw the size of the shadow which was far larger than the small wooden boat that Edward and his men rode so proudly towards the beast. She watched intently as they inched closer and closer. Suddenly a large fin emerged from the water, a large foam forming around it.

Her eyes moved to Edward who was now holding a harpoon tied to the boat in one hand preparing to strike. He acted swiftly as he launched the weapon at the large animal causing it to thrash and eventually tried to make its escape. But the rope made sure it’s escape would fail. The boat launched forward with the beast and the men held on tight as they were dragged across the water.

Rosalind watched in amazement, feeling her mouth slowly drop open. Admittedly, it was truly exciting as she had never witnessed such a hunt. Sure she had hunted before back home, but never like this. Soon she was no longer watching the beast, but Edward himself as he hunted. His face was no longer held the childish grin, but a face of concentration and determination. She watched him carefully as he threw harpoon after harpoon until finally the giant shark broke the surface to attack as a last attempt to save its life.

She gasped as it lunged for Edward, but he quickly subdued it with one final blow. The dead carcass came afloat and the men cheered. The grin returned to Edward’s face as the pulled the beast in and all the men cheered in triumph. Rosalind could feel her heart pounding in her ears. It had to be all the excitement. _Yes, that’s what it is._   It truly was a strange feeling. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really excited to write the next chapter as more pirate shenanigans ensue!!


	4. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward is quite proud of himself after catching such a large beast, but is quickly caught of guard by none other than Rosalind herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to write some more piratey things, but decided it needed a little bit of progress with the connection between the two main characters. Anyways, enjoy! Feedback is always appreciated!

Edward expected to see the woman damn near explosion when climbed aboard the ship, but he was in for a surprise. He searched eagerly for her face amongst the crew and when his eyes finally found her he thought he had mistaken someone else as her. But seeing as she was the only woman aboard, it was his only option.

Her cold, demanding eyes had been replaced with shining orbs of light. Her cheeks flushed with pink from the excitement and a small sense of wonder upon her lips. He sucked in his breath as he watched her stare in amazement at the catch of the day. Her eyes were so wide that her long dark lashes lightly brushed gently across her eyelids. He couldn’t look away. This couldn’t possibly be the same woman.

She quickly tore her eyes away from the beast and looked to Edward catching his gaze. She quickly looked down, composed herself, and pushed past the crew towards him. The face he knew before had returned so quickly that was starting to think he imagined it. _That’s right_ , he thought. _Just my_ _imagination_. For some reason that really didn’t convince him.

“Now that you’ve finished your attention seeking actions, I would suggest we do as I said before and make way for Havana,” she said with a scowl as she stomped towards him.

“Aye,” was all he could manage for he was still trying to wrap his head around what he had just witnessed.

He took the helm until night came and he passed it on to Adé. He wanted to speak to Rosalind again as he was still reeling from the events earlier. He wanted to see if he could make her make that face again. He couldn’t really understand why, but he just knew he _needed_ to see it. He wanted to know if it was real. Unfortunately, she had already locked herself away in his quarters, probably asleep by know.

He made his way below deck and quickly removed his weapons.  He pulled himself into the nearest hammock, trying to ignore the awful smell. Silence fell upon the Jackdaw except for the creaking of the wood and the sound of the waves beneath them. Soon he felt his eyes grow heavy and his body relax. As he let the weight of sleep start to wash over him, a piercing scream rang throughout the ship. Though muffled, he knew exactly where it came from. He leaped up, careful not to entangle himself in the hammock and hurriedly made his way to his quarters. Another scream. He quickly inserted his key into the door, pushing the door shut after he entered.

Rosalind lay on the bed, her eyes closed tight and her body tense. Sweat drenched her skin and hair, plastering dark locks all around her face. He was at her side in seconds, his hand on her shoulder.

“Lass! Lass!” he shouted has he shook her gently. “Rosalind!”

Her eyes flew open at the sound of her name and Edward quickly found a knife at his throat. Her eyes found his and she slowly lowered the knife. Her breathing was labored and her eyes bloodshot. She probed his face for any sign of knowledge of what she might of said in her sleep. When she figured he had not, she relaxed her body and turned her head to look away from him. Silence.

“We will not speak of this,” she finally spoke.

He stared at her in disbelief.

“La-,”

“You may take your leave, Mr. Kenway.”

He looked at her for a moment more then hesitantly walked towards the door. He turned to say something more, but she refused to look at him. He merely shook his head and exited the room. Outside the door he realized that his heart had been pounding fiercely. He scoffed. _This woman will be the death of me._


	5. No Rest for the Wicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosalind finally gets some sleep when she is interrupted by a commotion outside. What is that damned pirate up to now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super fun chapter to write! Enjoy. Feedback is always appreciated!

 The loud crack of thunder pulled Rosalind from her unsatisfying slumber with a jolt. She could hear the rain drumming incessantly against the wood of the Jackdaw and the sound of…canons? _Bloody pirates_. She quickly sprung out of bed, pulling her boots on and strapping on her effects with haste. After tying up her tresses as best as she could, she made sure to grab her over coat before sprinting out the door and pulling up her hood to hide the puffiness that now plagued her eyes.

 Once on deck, it didn’t take long for her face to develop a scowl. The captain and his crew had commenced fire on an enemy frigate ship and were now hunting it down. In spite of the cold rain pouring down upon her, she stayed quite warm with the heat of her passionate rage. Ignoring the shouted warnings from the crew, she headed towards the sound of Adé’s loud commands.

“I’m going to kill that man,” she said through her teeth.

She found _him_ at the helm, Adé at his side. _He_ smirked as the enemy ship slowed preparing for a battle. Adé was the first to notice her presence and nodded politely towards her. She nodded back finding no quarrel with him. She then turned to the smiling blonde man who had finally noticed her.

“Morning, lass!” he shouted happily. “Beautiful day for a bit of pirating wouldn’t you say?”

His tone was the same playful, careless tone. Good. She did not want last night’s events to make him believe she was some sort of weak woman. She shivered at the memory then pushed it from her mind.

“What in heaven’s name do you think you’re doing, Kenway?”

“Acquiring supplies,” he said, holding back a laugh.  

She rolled eyes and decided to give up the argument as there was no point. The deed was done and now she had to deal with the consequences. It wasn’t the first time she would have to get her hands dirty due to the stupidity of others. It’s why she preferred working alone. Her mentor didn’t really approve of that kind of thinking, but it suited her just fine. She knew she could get the job done, while when depending on others there was the possibility of a failure. This was her way of convincing herself the the failure in London was not her responsibility to take, but there was that small tugging feeling in the back of her brain that she now worked quickly to ignore. 

The Jackdaw quickly caught up to the enemy ship that lay in wait for her and now the sound of the canon fire was louder than ever. Rosalind made her way to the port side, avoiding the cannon and gun fire that burst around her. Though appearing calm on the outside, her body was bursting with adrenaline, ready to tear into anyone who got in her way. She had almost forgotten how wonderful it felt. She felt so powerful. An arrogant smile tugged at her lips, but she forced it away. This needed to be dealt with quick so they could reach Havana on schedule.

“Prepare to board!” Adé shouted as Edward pulled the ship alongside the frigate.

Rosalind gripped the rail tightly as the port side hit the enemy ship. Finally, at a stop, the crew prepared to board, but Rosalind was in no mood to wait. Perching herself on the rail, she leaped gracefully over the water and onto an unsuspecting soldier on the opposing ship, taking him down with one quick blow to the neck from her hidden blade. He gurgled hysterically through the blood; probably attempting to scream. She quickly moved on to another sailor prepared to shoot and grasped his gun, easily maneuvering it from his grasp. She used his own bayonet to stab his chest, blood gushing onto her.

Soon some of crew had joined her on the ship, along with Edward, now with his white hood pulled up. His grin was replaced with a new severe expression. He moved just in time to avoid a sloppy attack from a soldier near him and stabbed him effortlessly in the back, killing him in seconds. _Now he looks like an assassin._ She couldn’t keep a small grin from creeping onto her lips.

She caught a glimpse of a sword slashing through the air towards her and she elegantly twisted out of the way taking out its owner and another poor soul nearby. Another man moved to attack the young woman, but she was too quick and drew her blade from its sheath to slice his throat cleanly. His hands immediately tried to stop the fountain of blood that now spewed from him, but he soon fell to the ground and struggled no more. A soldier across the ship sneaked behind one of the Jackdaw’s crewman, but Rosalind quickly threw a dagger and watched as it hit its mark. The crewman searched for his savior, but Rosalind had already forced her way to the hiding spot of the cowering captain. She approached slowly, her blade held in front of her. She couldn’t help but smile when he whimpered like a child.  

“Please,” he begged. “I s-surrender.”

She only offered him a devilish smile as his reply then stepped back to let Edward approach. She thought she saw Edward searching for something in her face, but she turned away deciding it was just a trick of the eye. As she made her way back to the Jackdaw, she attempted to avoid stepping on the deceased, grumbling about the blood on her boots. She noticed the gawking stares of the crew as she crossed the deck and quickly dropped her eyes to the ground hiding her face. She speedily returned to the captain’s quarters, flopping down on the bed with a sigh. She was too exhausted to care about her clothes that were still drenched from the rain and speckled with blood. She knew she wouldn’t get the necessary sleep for her body to be satisfied, but she was in no mood to deal with pirates just yet. Frankly, she hadn’t truly slept since-

Rosalind hastily smashed a pillow over her head as if to silence the memory that had almost made its way into her the forefront of her mind. She lay perfectly still, listening to the loud, but oddly calming storm outside as felt herself dozing off. She had almost drifted back to sleep when there was a loud knock at the door. She grudgingly pushed herself up from the bed to answer the door only to find that the visitor had already entered. Edward stood before her his hair a wet matted mess and his clothes dripping. _How does he still manage looking so attractive in such a state?_

She was taken aback by the thought that had just entered her mind. _What the hell is wrong with me?_  He was quick to notice her sudden surprise.

“Something wrong?”

She composed herself and replied warily.

“Why exactly…are you here?”


	6. Almost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward and Rosalind share a moment that is just down right confusing. :/

  “Why exactly…are you here?” she inquired, an odd tone in her voice.

Edward noticed a slight pink in her cheeks that vanished quickly, but this time he was absolutely sure it was real. He figured that seeing this face would sate his need to see Rosalind without her usual cold expression, but it really only made him want to see more. And as he looked her, confused as to why he had come to see her, he became frustrated with himself for not really knowing why he had come either. He sighed and decided to give her the only answer that had come to mind.

“Just came to see if you were still alive, love,” he said as he gave his best fake smile.

He expected to hear some sort of snappy comeback or annoyed response, but he received only silence. She stood exceptionally still even as he took a step forward. He decided to test the waters further and took a few more steps and eventually closed the gap between them until he was face to face with her. Still, she stood there as if her feet were nailed to the ground.

“Rosalind?”

She tilted her head up to look at him, but her eyes were still hidden underneath her dark hood. She did nothing as he lifted his hand up slowly to the top her head and gently removed her hood. He had not expected the face that was revealed. Though her eyes were puffy and tired, her mismatched orbs were gentle and soft like a new soul had taken over them. She looked at him unsure, much like he felt at the moment. He noticed a small speck of blood near the corner of her mouth and found himself wiping it away, brushing her lips slightly. The action caused a shiver in both of them.  

He remembered watching her clearing almost the entire frigate by herself, astounded by the very sight. Something that was meant to be so brutal and horrid never looked so…beautiful. She made it look like some sort of dance with the way she moved so gracefully across that deck. She moved like she was dancing with the wind; twisting and spinning only to attack when she was out of harm’s way. Watching that made it easy for him to forget how arrogant and cold she usually she was. But now, her face matched the movements.

He moved a bit closer now, but she still watched him carefully without a sound. He leaned in a bit more to lower his face to level with hers. They were so close now that he could feel her breath on his face, making his chest constrict slightly. They both stood still now as their breath tickled each other’s faces. Suddenly there was a knock at the door that made both of them jump. Edward turned towards the door and Rosalind turned her face away as Adé entered the room.

“We’re ready to set sail, Captain,” he said awkwardly, sensing the strange atmosphere.

Edward quickly cleared his throat and walked over to the door.

“Right then!!” he exclaimed. “Finally gonna get your wish, lass. Off to Havana!”

He left the room without looking back at her with Adé in tow. He couldn’t help but feel a slight tinge of disappointment as he wondered what might have happened if they had stayed a bit longer. He really wished they had.

***

She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. How had she let herself get like this? Edward was coming closer and closer; testing his limits. And she was letting him. Did she want him to come close to her? _No, absolutely not._ Yet, there she stood as she watched him approach her carefully. As he came to a stop right in front of her, she could feel a small heat radiating from him. She still looked straight ahead at his chest for she was afraid to look him in the eyes.

“Rosalind?” he spoke, making her heart speed up.

She automatically looked up at him. She cursed herself for not responding, for not _moving_. From the corner of her eye she saw him lift his hand and reach for her hood. Her head was screaming at her to stop him and to run away, but it seemed as though her arms and legs had stopped working. He removed her hood revealing her face to him and for some damned reason she continued to look him in the face. His eyes seemed surprised, maybe because of her puffy eyes, but his gaze made her heart race even more.

The ocean blue eyes stared at her gently now, making her want to lean towards to get a better look. She noticed the scars that marked his face and wondered if there was a grand story behind them. She found herself desperately wanting to know them. Rosalind could admit to herself that she wanted to know what adventures this pirate had had and how they compared to her own. Would he enjoy her stories? Would he share all of his?

Edward’s hand was now at her face, wiping some blood from the corner of her mouth. The touch made her want to sigh, but she took what little control she had left and contained it. He leaned in closer now, his warm breath on her face. He smelled of rum and the sea and that was oddly comforting. There was little space between them now and Rosalind couldn’t help but want to get rid of it.

The urgent knock at the door made her heart stop and her mind panic. The door opened and the two pulled away, leaving an unusual air about the room. She waited until he left to say her curses aloud. She had never been so out of control. _What the hell was that, Rosalind!_ She was furious with herself for being so confounded by this man. This was it. She **hated** Edward Kenway.


	7. Swallowed in the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm rages on and the Jackdaw throws its captain into the sea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay!! Hope you enjoy!

The storm grew more and more restless as the Jackdaw pressed on towards Havana. Though she was avoiding all contact with him, Rosalind kept her eye on Kenway so they wouldn’t be led astray. Again. She could feel his gaze on her, but she kept a steady look forward. She wouldn’t let that bastard that close to her again. She felt like she had lost complete control on this journey and she needed to quickly regain it. She wasn’t going to let this careless pirate ruin her future.

The wind was howling now and the sea had grown wild. The black sky hung over them menacingly and poured rain down on their already drenched bodies. The water no longer gently lapped against the ship, but spewed onto the deck in huge waves. Rosalind tugged on her hood to cover more of her face then gripped the staircase that led to the wheel. Careful not to slip, she made her way to Edward as the Jackdaw fought its way through the now malicious waves.

Edward and Adé’s faces were both scrunched up with concentration and their eyes squinting to see through the rain. The blonde man tugged at the wheel, keeping a such a tight grip that his knuckles turned white. Rain and sea water splashed upon them as they held on as tight as they could to avoid Davy Jones’ locker.

The power of the wind made the cold rain like pins and needles against Rosalind’s face as she forced her body up the stairs. She finally made her way up when a gigantic wave crashed against the Jackdaw and thus knocking her over. She tried to gain back her footing when another wave hit, slamming her into the railing. Her eyes widened as she saw a third wave on its way. She was going over. She gripped the railing tight hoping that she could muster the strength to stay aboard. She opened her eyes long enough to see Edward notice her situation and leap towards her. With his hand no longer at the wheel, the Jackdaw was at the mercy of the sea. Edward was flung into her, their bodies crashing together. He quickly threw one arm around her and the other gripped the rail. Rosalind gripped onto him tightly as the wave crashed against them.

She could feel Edward’s large body slipping from her grip as the ship was thrown out of control. Soon he was ripped from her arms and thrown overboard. She panicked and searched for Adé, but in vain. She tried to calm her breathing as she searched for any sign of the pirate captain in the water.

“EDWARD!” she screamed.

No answer.

She took a deep breath. She knew what to do next. She swan dived into the water hearing a scream from Adé as she plunged into the cold dark water. Now underwater, she frantically searched for Edward. She quickly found him and thanked the heavens he had not gotten far. She spotted a small cloud of red streaming from his head. She swam over to him and pressed her lips to his, giving him air from her lungs. She then linked her arm under his and began to pull. His heavy body weighed on her as she tried to swim towards the surface. She could feel her head getting fuzzy with the lack of air, but refused to let go of Edward.

***

Edward felt his body hit the cold seawater. His head had hit the ship as he fell and left him in such a sorry state. _A pirate who can’t even muster up the strength swim; to survive!_ No matter how much he willed it, his body would not move. He supposed it was natural for a pirate to die at sea, but not like this. This was shameful. He felt himself sinking lower and lower into the deep and let his eyes flicker shut. At least that damned woman would live.

What in God’s name was he thinking when he leapt towards her? She had been a pain in his ass since day one. Always sneering and lecturing with a sour look spoiling such a beautiful face. But as he brought her face into his mind it wasn’t the cold face she usually wore. He could only see the face he had only seen for a split second, but seemed to be ingrained in his mind. He had never wanted to see that face as much as he did now. Yet, as he sunk lower into the sea he came to believe he would never have a chance.

His mind started to drift when suddenly there was a strange warmth surrounding him. Something soft touched his lips as a rush of air entered his lungs. He started to feel his body again as an arm began to tug at his. Slowly he began to rise as the small arm pulled, struggling to pull his weight. His eyes began to flutter open as he gained control back over his body. He finally gained enough strength to kick his feet and help his savior swim up. When they finally broke the surface Edward gratefully took in air, gasping for breath. He opened his eyes to see the very face he longed to see.

Rosalind’s drenched hair looked raven black instead of it usual chocolate brown as it clung to her sun tanned skin. The waves crashed upon them, but the two assassin’s clung onto each other desperate to not be separated again. Luckily a barrel bobbed in the water and they both quickly made their way to it, ready for relief from the endless swimming to stay afloat. When the sea finally calmed itself and they both had a nice grip on the barrel, Rosalind was the first to speak.

“We will die out here at this rate,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“I’d reckon the Jackdaw will be back ‘round soon enough,” Edward replied.

“You have faith that your pirates will return?” she scoffed. “And how will they find us, exactly?”

She was shivering so heavily now. He could see it took everything in her to keep her teeth from chattering. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was afraid that they may die out here. Sure Adé would come back, but would it be in time? Suddenly, a vision of Rosalind’s and his own body floating lifeless on the water entered his mind. _No. I won’t die here. Not with her watching._

“I have faith, love,” he stated.

“Faith in pirates will bring you nothing but regret,” she quickly spat.

She tore her mismatched eyes away from him to look out onto the horizon.

“Touched a nerve have we?” he joked.

He wasn’t really in the mood for messing around, but he didn’t want her to see the doubt in his eyes or to hear it in his voice. He wished to live, but sometimes fate has other plans. Still she looked away from him, ignoring his teasing. He pushed further.

“A man, maybe?”

“Do shut it, Kenway,” she retorted. “I’d rather not die with my last words as some response to your incessant jesting.”

“Then don’t die and talk,” he said with a smile.

Finally, she had turned to give him an angry look, but then sighed.

“I don’t really care to relinquish any information about my life to you, Kenway.”

“Not even when we’re supposedly going to die?”

She rolled her eyes, but still stayed silent.

“Come on now, love,” he said quietly. “Bet you’ve had some crazy adventures, eh?”

She lowered her head down onto the barrel and let out a loud sigh.

“A man no,” she began. “Far worse than that,”

Edward raised his eyebrows.

“So it is women then?”

She snorted.

“Not a man or a woman,” she said. “A father.”

Instead of his usual quick response he stayed silent, watching her carefully as she spoke.

“A father who was never even worthy of the damned title. A father who valued money and adventure more than his own child. The only thing the child could happily take away from him was that pirates should never be trusted with anything, especially love.”

She spoke softly, but her words were sharper than they had ever been. When she lifted her head he expected to see the same twisted cold face of anger, but instead for her face quite…sad.

“Why would anyone ever think to leave their only family behind?”

He could feel his heart wrench at that. He wished he could say something to comfort her, but he was no better. Had he not left Caroline behind? How was that any different from what happened to Rosalind? He wished he could stay silent, but this was not the time to blubber on about that.

“Your father is a damned fool to leave something like you behind,” he said.

She looked up at him surprised at his response. He merely looked back at her, making sure she understood that he had meant every word. Now the woman had turned him into a sentimental fool.

“How did you get in with the assassins then?” Edward spoke again.

“I was an orphan after _he_ left since my mother had died when I was young. The Brotherhood took me in and cared for me. They saw my potential and trained me as one of their own,” she answered.

“They trained you so well only to be sent off to deal with ol’ Kenway, eh?” he joked.

“They see something in you,” she said. “And as much as I hate to admit it, I do too.”

She was turned away from now, hiding whatever expression could be on that face of hers. He let out a small chuckle, but said nothing. He could imagine how much pride she had to swallow to say such a thing to him, a _pirate_. He hadn’t realized until now how much he had wanted to hold her and shivered at the thought. She would definitely push him away again and it wouldn’t be so easy to reclaim his pride this time.

***

Rosalind thought she would regret saying that she saw something in Edward, but so far he stayed quiet with no snide remark to tease her. She was so tired now that even if he had responded to her that she wouldn’t have the energy to protest. She lowered her head onto the barrel now hoping that if this was to be her end that it wouldn’t be cruel. Oddly enough she felt comforted by the fact that Edward was there with her.

She was confused as to why she told him so much. Not only was he pirate, but he was careless, irresponsible, selfish, and completely out of control. He was everything she hated and she couldn’t help but be drawn to him. She could lie to herself and say it was to keep an eye on him so that he didn’t do anything else reckless, but the truth was those reckless moments were her favorite moments on this mission. It scared her how much she enjoyed all the idiotic banter she had with Edward.

Rosalind gripped the barrel a little tighter now, realizing that she may never get to hear his stupid remarks again. She raised her head and turned to look at him only to catch him staring back at her. His usual bright blue eyes were bloodshot now and the dark bags under his eyes weighed down on his pale face. She knew she looked just as bad.

They looked at each other in silence; mouths to far too dry to utter a sound. Without a word they understood each other. Rosalind reached with her hand until it found his and gripped it tight. She lowered her head back down onto the barrel and closed her eyes. She could feel Edward rubbing lazy circles into her hand as if to calm her. This was the end.

She awoke with a start as water was being forced into her mouth. Her eyes shot open finding a relieved Adé hovering over her.

“Welcome back, Miss Rosalind,” he said smiling down at her.

“The cap’n is one lucky bastard to ‘ave such a daft woman jumpin’ in after ‘im,” she heard a crewman say.

All she could do was smile.


End file.
